End of the road in sight

Will Cook

Barnoldswick homeowners who have put up with a rickety access road for eight years could be about to see a smoother surface.

Pendle Council’s West Craven Committee has demanded Lancashire County Council call in a section 38 bond unless Orchard Holdings PLC undertakes road improvement work at Robinson Fold by the end of the month.

The bond is held within the agreement made between the developer and the council when the plan was approved.

The amount is sufficient to ensure the highways authority can construct the road to an adoptable standard if the developer does not.

At its July meeting, councillors heard from residents of Robinson Fold in Barnoldswick whose access road has remained unmade for eight years after house building ceased during the height of the property crash.

Householder Andrew Grindrod, speaking on behalf of residents, told councillors one man had broken his arm tripping up on the road.

He said: “The roads are in a dangerous condition. There have been injuries on the roads with children falling over.

“There has been damage to vehicles as well. Eight years is a long time for residents to live with this.”

Chairman of the Committee, Coun. David Whipp, said there had been 12 months without any further action and the motion was passed unanimously.

Robinson Fold had been on the committee agenda in June 2014, when residents were complaining that there was rubbish accumulating in the vicinity, there were open manholes and the road needed maintaining.

During July’s meeting, the question was asked about the possibility of Pendle Council’s partnership with Barnfield Construction, Pearl2, to take over the site and complete it.

Neil Watson, Pendle Council’s Planning and Building Control Manager, told the meeting that the council Strategic Director Dean Langton had written to Orchard asking them if they are willing to discuss the matter.

Speaking after the meeting, Mr Grindrod said he welcomed that news but if it was not possible or financial viable to complete the development with houses, he would like to see a green space created for children to play in instead.